Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson is gearing up for a crucial Premiership clash against St Mirren on Tuesday, and the Dons boss has plenty to say ahead of the matchup. While Robinson admits he'd love to see his former club St Mirren survive the relegation battle, he's made it clear there will be no room for sentiment when the whistle blows. "I'm going all out to beat them," he said. However, if St Mirren do find themselves in the play-off, Robinson has no doubt they have the desire and quality to stay up.
Reflecting on his time at St Mirren, Robinson pointed out that he left the club in 10th place, with a Scottish Cup semi-final appearance and a League Cup winners' medal to show for it. He was quick to distance himself from the club's results since his departure, noting that those outcomes have nothing to do with him.
Looking back at the most recent meeting between the two sides—which marked Aberdeen's last defeat—Robinson admitted he may have been deceived by what he saw in training. But he's confident the mentality has since shifted, and he now knows exactly which players can handle the pressure of a big match.
Injury news continues to be a talking point for the Dons. Goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov has been playing through the pain of a groin injury, while Stuart Armstrong is dealing with a breathing issue. Both players have required surgery, cutting their seasons short. Alexander Jensen and Dennis Geiger are doubts for Tuesday, and Marko Lazetic has returned home for family reasons, making it unlikely he'll feature again this season.
Despite being safe from relegation, Robinson insists the pressure is far from off. "At Aberdeen Football Club, you have to win every game," he said. The Dons are pushing hard to finish seventh, with Saturday's win over Dundee United closing the gap to just three points. But Robinson is keeping things in perspective: "We don't want to be finishing seventh next season."
With just two games remaining, Robinson is open to giving fringe players a chance, but he won't hand out appearances for the sake of it. "If you train better, you'll play better, and then you'll play more," he told his squad. One player who has caught his eye is Ante Palaversa, who has struggled for game time this season but made a significant impact off the bench in Aberdeen's second goal on Saturday. "A lot of things need changed," Robinson added, hinting at a busy summer ahead as he looks to reshape his squad for next season.